PRO-V power in action
We look at the benefits that two users of the new PRO-V plate are already experiencing.
When any new technology first appears on the market, claims of its greatness abound. However, it’s not until it’s been tried and thoroughly tested by actual users that a technology proves its worth.
PE Offset is ranked as one of the most innovative printing companies in Denmark. As part of the installation of a Fujifilm Luxel V-8 platesetter, the company agreed to test the Brillia HD PRO-V low-chemistry violet CTP plate, with a view to reducing the running costs of its pre-press department.
Lars Rud Fyhn, pre-press manager at PE Offset, comments: “ As soon as the trial started, any scepticism we had rapidly disappeared. There was no difference in the printed result when compared to our previous plate, and we saw all the advantages of faster plate making and higher productivity, high run-lengths and a processor which takes much less cleaning.”
Less cleaning, less downtime
The PRO-V system easily processes 2,000m² of plates. It requires no water washing or gum, making the maintenance easier and faster. As Lars explains, “Now we can clean the developer section in three hours, every 3-4 weeks (depending on our plate consumption). Previously, this took four hours, together with a weekly service of 1-2 hours. Overall, PRO-V gives us more flexibility, with platemaking deadlines reduced to a minimum. With PRO-V we keep our pre-press department and presses running, while achieving the highest print quality. That’s helping us to run our business more efficiently and gain
new accounts.”
Peter Nyborg, general manager of PE Offset, adds: “Plate making is so simple - the coating is washed away by a mild alkaline solution without any additional washing or gumming and we have reduced our water consumption by 50,000 litres every month, as well as seeing reductions in the cost of draining.”
He concludes: “Our highest priority is a stable production environment to ensure consistently high quality printing. Our Luxel V-8 platesetter, driven by Fujifilm’s XMF workflow, runs 24 hours a day, operator-free. This is only possible because the plate development does not need any user intervention to maintain ph values or replenishment, and the dot size is not related to the condition of the bath. So, even after processing 2,000m² of plates, we have the same values.”
Increased quality, reduced cost
Further south in Europe, at Leen print in Belgium, green thinking is an integral part of the company´s
philosophy and policy. As a result, the company was involved in one of the very early PRO-V trials in Europe.
Jörg Hamm, pre-press manager at Leen print, comments: “Fujifilm exchanged the processor at the end of July 2008 and the next day we ran full production with the new PRO-V plate. We didn’t need to adjust any other platemaking settings or remake any of the plates.”
David Verdonck, leader of Leen print’s printing department, adds: “We’ve been printing with the PRO-V plate for nearly a year now. The plate behaves excellently on press and the new plate is easier to handle, with impressively fast make-ready times and a wide ink/water balance.”
Jörg Hamm concludes: “We don’t replenish with any wash or solvent, we keep the bath level stable with
just pure water, there is no need to control the pH or conductivity. The only waste we generate during the plate processing is the used fluid in the finishing unit which equates to 2,000m², an 80% reduction in our chemical waste. As there is no water involved, we will also save an additional €4,000 each year in water charges. Based on our experiences, Fujifilm can definitely classify the PRO-V system as a bona-fide ‘increased quality, reduced cost’ solution.”
